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Why add milk while boiling corn?

post #1 of 13
7/11/07 at 7:47am
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Anyone know the reason or is it another food myth?
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post #2 of 13
7/11/07 at 8:08am
I always reasoned that milk has more flavor than water. Some what along the lines of court bouillon theory, but I have never done a side by side taste comparison, which is usually how I derive my opinions, when similar questions comes up. Got my curiosity going now, will have to do some research with one of my favorite foods, especially fresh sweet on the cob. Thanks
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post #3 of 13
7/11/07 at 9:29am
Having grown up in Iowa corn country, and partaking of really fresh corn-on-the-cob within 15 minutes of it being picked sometimes, and having attended "corn boils" almost in every Iowa city I've ever lived, I've never heard of adding milk to corn, unless it was already cooked, shaved off the cob, and then milk/cream was added while mashing the corn to make "creamed corn".

doc
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post #4 of 13
7/11/07 at 9:38am
I don't know that one...
I figured it was to make the boiling corn sweeter (because of the lactose in milk).

Adding milk to frozen corn niblets with a little butter then reheating in the microwave makes a nice side veggy. (very sweet tasting corn)

I prefer roasting my corn on the cob on the grill (much more flavourful).
Peel away only the first layer of leaves. Pull out the silk. Soak the cobs in water with added salt (30 min or so). place on the grill, turn 1/4 when gill marks appear (5min or so). Continue turning until the first row of leaves are charred.
Peal and eat. The grains cook in their own juice... very flavourful.

Luc H.
I eat science everyday, do you?
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post #5 of 13
7/12/07 at 3:56am
The only place I have ever seen corn cooked in milk is here in minnesota, Yuk:eek: I used to pick and cook sweet corn right out of the fields and salted water is the only thing that was ever used :chef: I find it to be a waste of milk.
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post #6 of 13
7/12/07 at 4:00am
Grilled corn is a favorite of mine. The above mentioned method is right on. Local sweet corn won't be too long. Yummm
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post #7 of 13
7/12/07 at 6:43pm
Hmmm haven't heard of that before either - maybe it makes it taste more like creamed mushy corn - YUK! Refuse to eat that, tastes too much like baby food...Had to eat too much of that when my big kids were little kids to encourage them...oh my :P
 Don't handicap your children by making their lives easy.
Robert A. Heinlein
 
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post #8 of 13
7/12/07 at 7:41pm
I always assumed it was to tenderize corn. Back in the day, corn wasn't as tender and nice as it is now; more like animal feed. There's no reason to do it these days.
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post #9 of 13
5/26/12 at 3:46pm

no way!!!!  adding salt b4 or while cooking toughens the corn!

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post #10 of 13
5/26/12 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by armofox32 View Post

no way!!!!  adding salt b4 or while cooking toughens the corn!

Do you have a reference to support this contention?

 

Or is it simply your opinion?

Chef,
Specialties: MasterCook/RecipeFox; Culinary logistics; Personal Chef; Small restaurant owner; Caterer
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post #11 of 13
5/26/12 at 4:57pm

I love resurrected threads. First off, I agree w/ deltadoc. I've only seen milk used to make "creamed corn". Secondly, I agree w/ Ma Falcon; waste of milk, unless as pointed out before, creamed corn. In conclusion, I'm curious along w/ Pete, about the opinion/myth of not adding salt to the boiling water. TIA for continuation of this thread. MMMMMMMMM ... fresh corn!

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

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post #12 of 13
5/26/12 at 5:26pm
Adding milk to the corn water or simmering the corn in milk (use whole, it doesn't burn as easily as low fat or skim) adds some sweetness to the corn. So does adding sugar. No milk, some milk, all milk, a little sugar or a lot -- there's no single right way to boil corn. Try everything and see what you like best. In my experience, very fresh, ripe corn needs the least help, but very fresh means picked only a few hours ago. If it came from the supermarket, it's almost certainly not fresh.

No matter how you cook your corn, compound butter is a very nice touch.

When I make cream corn, I almost never use dairy. Instead I used pureed corn (and whatever corn-milk I can save from trimming kernels from the cobs) and seasoning to make the "cream." The usual ratio for me is about 50/50. That is, roughly half the kernels go into the food processor, while the rest are cooked whole.

I think bacon does very well with creamed corn. Jalapenos too. Pepper is often overlooked, but to my mind it's a necessity.

BDL
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post #13 of 13
5/31/12 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheflayne View Post

I always reasoned that milk has more flavor than water. Some what along the lines of court bouillon theory, but I have never done a side by side taste comparison, which is usually how I derive my opinions, when similar questions comes up. Got my curiosity going now, will have to do some research with one of my favorite foods, especially fresh sweet on the cob. Thanks

My grandmother does this and for some reason it just tastes better in my opinion.

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